British Nuclear Weapon Stockpiles, 1953–78 John R Walker Available Online: 31 Oct 2011

This article was downloaded by: [FCO - Open Source Team] On: 23 February 2012, At: 00:49 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

The RUSI Journal Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rusi20 British Nuclear Weapon Stockpiles, 1953–78 John R Walker Available online: 31 Oct 2011

To cite this article: John R Walker (2011): British Nuclear Weapon Stockpiles, 1953–78, The RUSI Journal, 156:5, 66-72 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03071847.2011.626278

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. THE RUSI JOURNAL

BRITISH NUCLEAR WEApON STOCkpILES, 1953–78

John R Walker

As part of a RUSI Journal double feature on the history of British nuclear stockpiles, arms control historian John R Walker presents the latest research on the size and evolution of the British stockpile of nuclear weapons from when they were first made available to the Royal Air Force in 1953 to the peak of production in 1978.

illiam Hague told the House Supply) and the various branches within enormous scale of the task in compiling Wof Commons on 26 May them involved with nuclear weapons detailed, comprehensive and accurate 2010 that he was ‘pleased to issues. Piecing together the jigsaw is accounts spanning a period of almost announce today that, for the first time, a demanding task as there is no single thirty years. the Government will make public the piece of paper that provides a coherent, It has proved slightly easierto maximum number of nuclear warheads authoritative overview; thereisofcourse provide accuratefigures fordeliverable that the United Kingdom will hold in its also the nagging doubt that key pieces nuclear weaponsinthe period of 1958– stockpile–infuture, our overall stockpile of the jigsaw possibly are still missing. 64,asRichard Moorehas shown in his will not exceed 225 nuclear warheads. Definitional issues are also a problem: recentbook Nuclear Illusion, Nuclear This is a significant step forward on what is a nuclear weapon? There were Reality,published by Palgravein2010. previous policy, which was to publish weapons deployed to the RAF and Royal Appendix 1ofthis book providesa only the number of warheads classed as Navy but there were also surveillance breakdownofthe numbers of each “operationally available”, the maximum rounds and even spare components weapon type and the totalstockpile number of which will remain at 160. We (nuclear and non-nuclear), such as fissile numbersfor each year.3 Britain’sstockpile believe that the time is now right to be cores and aircraft bomb tail assemblies. increased from sixty-three weaponsin more open about the nuclear weapons Constantly changing plans are other 1958 to 264 in 1964.4 As thispresent that we hold.’1 So, for the first time in significant complexities to disentangle. study shows,the UK stockpile expanded almost sixty years as a nuclear weapons Establishing the facts from the available to amaximum sizeofupto462 warheads state, the UK has released a ministerial historical record is thus inordinately by the late 1970s,with the majoroverall

Downloaded by [FCO - Open Source Team] at 00:49 23 February 2012 statement on its total nuclear weapons difficult. expansion in totalnumberscoming at the stockpile. This is a radical departure The following table is the first very end of the 1960sand early 1970s. from previous practice whereby total attempt to compile as accurate a picture The early weaponswereexpected to have stockpile numbers were a closely held as possible of the different types of ashort shelf lifeasthe consequences of secret. It is perhaps now timely to look British nuclear weapons and their ageingwereunknown at thattime; it was also at historical holdings of UK nuclear numbers from November 1953, when only the WE177 weaponsand Polaris weapons to see what sort of picture can the first weapon was made available to warhead thathad much longer life spans. be painted, drawing on official papers at the RAF at Wittering, to 1978, when the If the 462 figureisaccurate, then it would The National Archives at Kew.2 UK stockpile appears to have been at, seem thatinsimple numerical terms the Thereare manyfiles availableatKew or close to, its highest level in terms of UK nuclear weaponsstockpiletodayhas containing information on the plans and totalnumbersproduced. This table is also decreased by over 50 per centsince 1978. requirements for, and historical holdings an initial contribution to the promotion of, UK nuclear weapons stockpiles from of greater transparency on historical Reading Notes the earlydaysofthe programme rightup aspects of nuclear weapons stockpiles In addition to the points mentioned until the end of the 1970s.fo In rmation based on official records – a factor that above, there are several important is scattered across a diverse range of may assume greater significance as caveats to bear in mind when reading records from the main government further progress is made towards the the table. departments(the Admiralty,Air Ministry, goal of nuclear disarmament. It also First, the information included has Cabinet Office, Ministry of Aviation, highlights that there are inevitable been taken and pieced together from Ministry of Defence and Ministry of gaps in the historical record and the declassified papers in The National

RUSI 156_5 TEXT.indd 66 17/10/2011 07:15:40 John R Walker

Archives or other official tohis ries or it is not clear whether all of the plans Clearly, more work is required to statements: no closed recordswereused. referenced were fully implemented. build a detailed review of UK nuclear There are still gaps and uncertainties, so Finally, further research might weapons holdings for each year and to this represents the best estimate from be able to reveal a more detailed clarify some of the current uncertainties these sources. Furthermore, some of the breakdown of the numbers and types of and possible inaccuracies. Investigation information is based on inference from we apons held in particular years across into the numbers of Chevaline warheads the available sources. the whole period. This information is is also needed, as these arejustbeginning Second, there is a distinction in the currently available for only parts of the to become available at Kew.5 It is known, UK system between weapons deployed to period under review and it is possible for instance, that the first outload of the RAF and RoyalNavyand those held as that still retained, or yet to be released, Polaris missiles wad s limite to twelve spares to cover for maintenance cycles. papers may have the full answers. There missiles with twowarheads, butasofyet Third, the use of papers covering is, however, a timetable of the planned there are no details regarding the total manyyearsand from severalgovernment figures for WE177A and C production number of warheadsbuilt and howmany departments often reveals apparent from the later 1960s to the mid-1970s, were planned in total. ■ contradictions. These can be partly which envisaged roughly two weapons explained by changing plans and per month being completed and Dr John RWalker worksinthe Arms requirements, often causedbybudgetary made available to the RAF. During the Control and DisarmamentResearch Unit retrenchment. initial part of this period the second of the Foreign and Commonwealth Fourth, the table’s detailed generation bomb, Red Beard, and the Office. His book, British Nuclear Weapons footnotes reveal the various sources first thermonuclear warhead, Red Snow, and the Test Ban 1954–1973 was of information, some of which are were being withdrawn from service and publishedbyAshgatein2010. Afollow- historical accounts written some broken down. Recovered fissile material up book, Britain and Disarmament: The years later, at the time the table wasre-used in the WE177s, and probably UK Nuclear,Biological and Chemical was compiled; in other words, these in the Polaris warheads too, but theredo WeaponsArms Controland Programmes accounts look back to previous reports not appear to be any definitivesources 1956–1975,will also be published by and understandings. Other sources were from the archives that demonstrate the Ashgate in December 2011. future-looking statements on intentions actual withdrawal and dismantlement and plans, which were apt to change timetable for each year. as circumstances changed. As a result,

NOTES

1 Hansard, HC Debates, Oral Answers, 6 expressed here are the author’s own and 4 Ibid., p. 256.

Downloaded by [FCO - Open Source Team] at 00:49 23 February 2012 May 2010, Col. 181. not necessarily those of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The author is 5See The National Archives DEFE 23/222, 2The bulk of the research for this paper also most grateful for advice on the ‘UK strategic nuclear deterrent: options, was originally undertaken as part of table from Richard Moore and Brian Chevaline Project and Production a project at the Mountbatten Centre, Burnell. Progress in the DCDP (IV) Area up to 15 Southampton University, funded by October 1980’. the Arts and Humanities Research 3Richard Moore, Nuclear Illusion, Nuclear Council (AHRC), on the history of the UK Reality: Britain, the United States and nuclear weapons programme, 1954–76. Nuclear Weapons, 1958-64 (Basingstoke: See . The views

RUSI 156_5 TEXT.indd 67 17/10/2011 07:15:40 British Nuclear Weapon Stockpiles, 1953–78 64 Mt), n( 55 62 s Depot 48 /462 0 0 0 0 0 0 63 43 53 nt ato 50 1978 191 125 In Service, l Planning (DN c.400 va l l Armame ta of Na va To 47 te 54 24 l Na - 50 ra 43 53 40 251 110 134 37 ya 125 to 57/58 86/96 44/64 Produced Ro RN), kiloton (kt), meg y( av 44 lN 53 18 5 kt kt kt ya 23 kt 13 29 23 kt (AWRE), Direc kt 10 kt 51 Ro kt eld Probable 43 kt nt 1 Mt 10 Yi 1 Mt 1 Mt 200 400 10/16 RAF), 500/400 190/200 420/450/500 0.5kT e( blishme rc ta Fo ir /6 15 lA 22 4 38 36 30 61 42 50 -- 12 2 4 2 3 ya eillance 12 search Es rv Ro Re apons ark (Mk), 94 We 82 11 33 60 / :M 29 -1 -- -- 56 00 00 11 46 8 17 10 47 ws Spares Su 10 omic llo At fo P) as 10 re AW 28 37 da 3 (D ed 33 59 16 41 /37 nt , 17 oy -- /48 21 44 48 5 36 86 35 115 192 57/58 22 Number 40 Depl 120/134 lopme 110/127/142 ve cronyms use .A 58 omic Energy Authority (UKAEA), Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile (SSBN) and ta 40 27 32 Downloaded by [FCO - Open Source Team] at 00:49 23 February 2012 At 2 9 52 16 20 35 45 49 /251 apons De ered Maximum /96 /127/ 57 8 31 13 37 57 44 53 100 142 rd 125 We fiable da 86 120/134 110 60/62/63 c.200 nti omic d Kingdom At te of te 1 7 15 19 26 30 34 56 39 apons Stockpiles, 1953–78. ra -- to We 1953–62 1958–59 1961–72 1962–69 1960–72 1969–98 1972–95 1968–82 1966–95 1969–91 1961–67 1959–62 rfare (ASW), Uni Wa 25 and III 6 I, II and I epresents unknown or unqua )r rhead 33 Mk wa dMkI,I ash (‘-’ Probable British Nuclear 14 apon/Warhead In Servic eO ear llow Sun Mk II L Ad Ye We TA laris ET 317 d Snow dB llow Sun Mk I ble 1: Blue Danube III Re (b) Blue Steel (RAF and RN) WE177A (RAF) WE 177C Po TO WE177B WE177A (RN) Re VioletGrass) Club (Green (a) Ye (Green Grass) The National Archives (TNA),Direc Ta Note: Plans), Anti-Submarine (RNAD).

RUSI 156_5 TEXT.indd 68 17/10/2011 07:15:40 John R Walker

NOTES TO TABLE 1

1The National Archives (TNA) SUPP 8TNA AIR 2/13774, ‘T J Goggin to Glossary of Britishuclear N Weapons, 5/1394, ‘Royal Ordnance Factory Ops. (B) 3 and Wpn Eng2, Red Beard Mountbatten Centre for International Burghfield, Production andve De lopment Requisitions’, 28 March 1960. This figure Studies, , accessed 15 weapons continued until August (1961) the WE177A being a ‘replacement for September 2011. when the work was transferred to R.O.F., the hundred or so Red Beard bombs Pembrey’. This site closed at the end of deployed now in Cyprus, Singapore 15 The Violet Clubs were converted into 1964. and afloat to fulfil our commitments Yellow Sun Mk IIs between April and to CENTO and SEATO’. See TNA DEFE August 1959: TNA AIR 6/117, ‘Air Council 2TNA AVIA 65/1792, ‘History of Atomic 19/103, ‘The Navy’s Requirement for Memoranda 1959, Progress Report on Weapon Production’, DAWP, 1963. One WE177A’, 19 May 1966. Nuclear Weapons Appendix AC (59) 7’, hundred was the requirement as it stood 13 January 1959. in March 1955. 9TNA AVIA 65/1792, ‘History of Atomic Weapon Production’, DAWP 1963. 16 The number of interim weapons 3There were apparently cores for fifty- One hundred and twenty-two were was originally estimated at sixteen, eight weapons. Storage facilities for delivered to the RAF by December 1962, but this was reduced to fifteen so forty-eight weapons were built at both along with thirty-five for the Admiralty. that the Admiralty could have some RAFs Barnham and Faldingworth and However, another source makes clear highly enriched uranium and a further ten weapons at four RAF stations. See that there were ninety-one Mk I and reduction was made to thirteen due TNA AVIA 65/1160 and Wayne D Cocroft, thirty-six Mk II versions ordered – in the to the additional megaton trials in the and Roger J C Thomas in P S Barnwell latter case that was at least a proposal. Pacific; see TNA AIR 2/13718,te ‘In rim (ed.), Cold War: Building for Nuclear TNA AIR 2/13774, ‘R J Penney, Air Megaton Weapons’, DGAW to DCAS, 19 Confrontation 1946–1989 (Swindon: Ministry to CW Fogarty, Treasury’, 10 September 1957. English Heritage, 2004), p. 30. All of the February 1960. Mk II weapons and new assemblies were 17 TNA AVIA 65/1218, ‘C H B Bullock (Group converted by 31 March 1958, following a 10 TNA AVIA 65/1792, ‘History of Atomic Captain) DAWP to SSWP/AWRE, Violet decision in the autumn of 1957; see TNA Weapon Production’, DAWP, 1963. Other Club Production’, 18ve No mber 1958. SUPP 5/1408, ‘Royal Ordnance Factory references suggest that there were 110 There was one drill round produced, Burghfield Report for the Year Ended 31 RAF weapons, but by the end of the that is, an inert ballistic shape to enable March 1958’. 1960s there appear to have been ninety- ground handling and flight trials. TNA four still in service; see TNA AIR 2/18210, AIR 2/13705, ‘E J Smith, DDE 3 to DDOR 4The surveillance round concept was not ‘Nuclear Weapons Policy, 1969–70’. 2, UK Megaton Weapon Programme’, 30 adopted in the UK stockpile until tela r October 1958. generation weapons. 11 TNA AIR 6/117, ‘Air Council Memoranda’, 1–104, 1959. 18 AWRE recalculated the yield of 5TNA AVIA 65/1160, ‘Bomb Aircraft Green Grass at about 400 kilotons with HE 10,000 lb MC, DAWDP, Ministry of 12 These were drill weapons for training a possible variation of +/- 15 per cent Supply to miscellaneous addressees’, RAF/RN ground crews; the round had between rounds. (Megaton Downloaded by [FCO - Open Source Team] at 00:49 23 February 2012 22 February 1957; TNA AIR 8/2469, the same shape, dimensions and centre range defined as 500 kt and above). ‘William Cook, AWRE to E S Jackson, of gravity. Surveillance weapons were TNA AIR 2/13705, ‘Green Grass DGAW, Ministry of Supply’, 27 June 1956. identical to service weapons except that Warhead’, A Smith, DDOR 2 to The initial order for nineteen weapons the fissile components were replaced DD Ops (B). called for yields of 10 kilotons; see TNA with inert materials, such as brass DEFE 19/45, ‘Confidential Annex to COS or depleted uranium. See TNA AVIA 19 Last-minute delays in Yellow Sun (53) 9th Meeting, Atomic Weapons’, 20 65/1792. clearance resulted in the RAF taking January 1953. delivery of a total of five Violet Clubs; 13 TNA AVIA 65/1155, ‘Nominal yield of delivery of Yellow Sun Mk I was due in 6TNA AIR 6/151, Annex to AC (62)12, service designs’, C W Shaw, ADAW (D) 1 January 1959. The conversion of Violet ‘Nuclear Weapons’, 28 March 1962 to DD OR2, 28 November 1956. Clubs to Yellow Sun was planned to start noted that the Mk II entered service in in April for completion by August. TNA December 1961. 14 Green Grass was a large fission-only AIR 6/117, ‘Progress Report on Nuclear weapon using large quantities of highly Weapons’, Appendix AC (59) 7, 13 7TNA SUPP 5/1401, ‘Royal Ordnance enriched uranium. It was based on an January 1959. Factory Burghfield Report for Year Ended AWRE design known as Knobkerry. See 31 March 1972’. All Red Beards and Red Richard Moore, UK Nuclear History 20 TNA AVIA 65/1792, ‘History of Atomic Snow warheads were withdrawn and Working Paper Number. The Real Weapon Production’, DAWP, 1963. broken down during this year. Meaning of the Words: a Pedantic

RUSI 156_5 TEXT.indd 69 17/10/2011 07:15:41 British Nuclear Weapon Stockpiles, 1953–78

21 Production of the Green Grass warhead 29 TNA AIR 2/13705, ‘Air Staff Requirement 38 TNA AIR 20/1080, ‘Blue Steel: Nuclear was due to cease after twenty-two had No. O.R.1136 (Issue 3) Yellow Sun Warheads 1959—1963’, D A J West to been produced in March 1960 with all Mark 2’. AUS (A), 19 December 1962. further Yellow Sun deliveries being the Mk II version, the first of which was 30 TNA AIR 2/13705, ‘W J Stacey DD Ops (B) 39 TNA PREM 13/3126, ‘Deployme nt and planned for mid-1960; see TNA AIR RAF to DD OR 10 (RAF)’, 18 May 1966 – Movement of Nuclear Weapons 1964– 2/13705, ‘Yellow Sun policy, 1957–1966’. originally meant to be returned by the 1970’, Secretary of State for Defence end of July, but extended to the end of to Prime Minister, 16 June 1969. The 22 TNA AIR 2/13705, ‘Yellow Sun – December 1967. The WE177B served as tactical nuclear weapon Red Beard was Application Policy’, G M Brisbane, A/ replacement. now becoming obsolescent and unstable DDOR 2 to DD Ops (B), OR 1136, 2 for low-level, tactical work. August 1957. 31 TNA AIR 2/13705, P R M Groom to Ops (B) 3, ‘Discrepancy in Production Orders 40 TNA AIR 2/17372,R Haynes (AUS (AS) to 23 AWRE recalculated yield of the Green between Warheads and Carcases, 3 July ACAS (Pol), ‘Draft submission from Chief Grass warhead at about 400 kt with 1962’. of the Air Staff to Secretary of State’, a possible variation of +/- 15 per cent 26 November 1968. The order for the between rounds. (Megaton range 32 TNA AVIA 65/1992, ‘History of Atomic WE177A for the Royal Navy was placed defined as 500 kt and above). See TNA Weapon Production’, DAWP, 1963. in 1966 and completed in December AIR 2/13705, ‘A Smith DDOR 2 to DD Ops Figures as of December 1962. 1968. The order for the RAF weapons (B), Green Grass Warhead’. was delayed pending decisions on the 33 TNA AIR 2/13705, E D Crew A/D of strike force size. TNA AIR 2/18209, 24 TNA AVIA 65/1992, ‘History of Atomic Ops (B & R) to Head of S.9, 27 July ‘Requirements for WE177 A Background Weapon Production’, DAWP, 1963. 1964 notes that, ‘Bomber Command Note Annex B to ACAS (Pol)/A890’, 7 transferring Red Snow warheads from January 1969. Some of the naval orders 25 Red Snow was the megaton warhead Yellow Sun 2 to Blue Steel to match the were converted to RAF use. The original used in both Yellow Sun Mark II and Blue front-line force of Blue Steel aircraft. plan was for twenty in the strike role, Steel. By the end of 1964 the transfer should with forty-three for ASW. See TNA AIR be completed and about 21 Yellow 20/11515, ‘Requirements for WE177A 26 TNA SUPP 5/1401, ‘Royal Ordnance Sun carcasses will become surplus to Background Note to LD’, Mavor ACAS Factory, Burghfield Report for Year Ended operational requirements’. (Pol), to PS to CAS, 23 January 1968. 31 March 1972’. All Red Beards and Red Snow warheads were withdrawn and 34 Humphrey Wynn, RAF Nuclear Deterrent 41 TNA DEFE 69/464, ‘Defence Review – broken down during this year. Forces (London: The Stationery Office, Nuclear Matters’, Annex A to DN Plans 1994), p. 631. SF, 17 April 1974 in Assistant Director 27 Production order for Red Snow was of Naval Plans (Polaris) to CFS Co-ord cut down from 144 to 134, leading to 35 The figure here represents missiles, et al. The Annex showed DN Plans’ a surplus of ten carcasses. See TNA not warheads. TNA AIR 19/1014, ‘Draft understanding of present and planned AIR 2/13705, ‘P R M Groom to Ops Memorandum by the Minister of future policy relating to the 600 lb bomb. (B)’, 3 July 1962. There also appears to Aviation, Blue Steel,fe De nce Committee be a discrepancy in production orders D. (62) 1st meeting’, 12 January 1962. 42 A table in TNA DEFE 72/152, ‘WE177 between warheads and carcasses. nuclear bomb; life storage programme, Downloaded by [FCO - Open Source Team] at 00:49 23 February 2012 The 120 figure comes from TNA AVIA 36 TNA AIR 6/152, Annex to AC (63) 9, including surveillance 1973–74’ implies 65/1792. ‘Future Nuclear Warhead Programme that there were seven (three for the RN for the V-Force, 1963’ notes that the and four for the RAF) in the programme 28 This is an estimate based on the fact plan was for eighty-eight front-line for 1972–84. ‘T P O’Callaghan, Hunting that the front-line V-force was under 100 aircraft with forty carrying Blue Steel; the Engineering Limited, Post Development aircraft and that the force was shared remaining forty-eight would carry the Services to MOD, WE177 Surveillance between Yellow Sun Mk II and Blue WE177B. and Life Evaluation Programme’, Steel. Twenty-one Red Snow warheads 25 October 1973. See also ‘C J were converted to use in Blue Steel, 37 TNA AIR 2/17065, ‘BS Post-Acceptance Richards, WD2/SSDW AWRE to Mr T P thus rendering twenty-one Yellow Sun Launch Programme Annex to Memo AF/ O’Callaghan, PDS Hunting Engineering carcasses surplus to requirements. See T661/64/DDOR9 (RAF)’ dated 8 January Ltd, WE177 Annual Report – Period 1 TNA AIR 2/13705, ‘E D Crew A/D of Ops 1965; Wynn, op. cit., p. 217 states that July 1974 to 30 June 1975’, 18 August (B & R) to Head of S.9’, 27 July 1964. See only five V-bomber squadrons were 1975 which clearly refers to seven also TNA AIR 2/13705, ‘D A Green, DD fitted with Blue Steel, that is, forty as the rounds (three RN and four RAF) and their Ops (B) (RAF) to DDE 3 (RAF), Yellow Sun unit establishment for a squadron was then status. Mk2 – Disposal of Carcasses’, August eight aircraft. See also TNA AIR 6/152, 1964’. ‘Future Nuclear Warhead Programme for the V-Force’, Annex C to AC (63) 9, 1963.

RUSI 156_5 TEXT.indd 70 17/10/2011 07:15:41 John R Walker

43 TNA DEFE 19/103, ‘Weapons apply to any WE177A rounds converted TNA CAB 134/4431, ‘Tactical Nuclear Development Committee: Nuclear to WE177C’. Weapons for the RAF NP (72)1’, 11 Sub-Committee 1964—1966, The February 1972. This proposed that the WE177 Nuclear Weapons System, Chief 46 TNA AIR 2/18209, D C Humphreys, plan was to have two weapons per Scientific Adviser’. It seems that the plan Head DS 9, to ACAS (Pol), 16 January, aircraft for the Buccaneers in Germany was for most of the navy’s weapons to ‘WE177B Supplementary Qs on WE177 and the UK and one per Jaguar in be for the anti-submarine role; see TNA submission’. Ten spares were needed, Germany only. The total requirement DEFE 103, ‘The Navy’s Requirement for based on experience and UKAEA on this basis was for 175 weapons, WE177A’, 19 May 1966. The nuclear advice, to ensure the required number including fifteen for servicing purposes depth bomb variant (the 0.5 kiloton yield of operational weapons were always of which 110 would be for the WE177A) was earmarked for delivery by available and in fully serviceable Buccaneers and sixty-five for the Jaguars. helicopters; see TNA DEFE 13/545, ‘Naval condition; a stockpile of spares Completion of the order was planned to Airborne Nuclear Weapons’, Chief of the permitted fesa ty and reliability testing be in 1976–77. Defence Staff to Secretary of State, 28 over the period of the weapon’s service May 1970. life. 54 TNA DEFE 69/464, ‘Chiefs of Staff Committee feDe nce Policy Staff, DP 44 TNA DEFE 69/464, ‘Annex A to DN Plans 47 It is not clear whether the RAF’s full 13/74 (Final)’, 7 June 1974. The 1974 SF’, 17 April 1974 in ‘Assistant Director order was fulfilled or whether it was Defence Review (Nuclear Aspects) of Naval Plans (Polaris) to CFS Co-ord et made up from the twenty transferred Report by the Directors of Defence Policy al. Defence Review – Nuclear Matters’ from the RN order. If the Macklen figure notes that one of the options in the notes that the navy principally used its cited in note 63 below is the baseline, defence nuclear review was to abandon WE177As as anti-submarine bombs and then we should assume that the order all the UK’s tactical nuclear weapons embarked fourteen Buccaneers on HMS was made of up of twenty transferred – this was option four. However, the Ark Royal (presumably in a strike role). from the navy. This leads to a figure chiefs of staff considered ‘that the RN/ This would imply that of the thirty-five closer to 400. RAF tactical weapon programme should WE177As deployed at sea, twenty-one continue to complete the present were in the ASW role. Eighteen weapons 48 Perhaps fourteen weapons from programme and we reject saving Option were embarked on HMS Ark Royal, seven the WE177A order for the RAF were Four’. This report also noted that the each on HMS Tiger and Blake and nine converted into WE177C. programme to produce an increase on HMS Hermes. in the number of weapons was to be 49 Production of the WE177B began in completed in 1976–77. However, with 45 TNA AIR 2/18209, ‘Nuclear Weapons November 1965 in order to meet an in- a production rate at two weapons per for the RAF’, Chief of the Air Staff to service date of June 1966, which slipped month, there would only be 101 by the Secretary of State, 24 January 1969; to September. See Wynn, op. cit.,pp. end of 1977 unless the production rates TNA AIR 20/12080, ‘Nuclear Weapons 462 and 87. were slightly increased to give 125. policy 1967—1969’, J G Matthews, DD Ops (S) RAF to DD Mech Eng 3 (RAF), 50 TNA DEFE 19/103, ‘Weapons 55 Some WE177As orders were converted ’Future deployment of nuclear weapons Development Nuclear Sub-Committee, into WE177Cs. In correspondence with – Availability of Existing SSAs for WE177 Surveillance Programme, Brief the author, Richard Moore believes that conversion to other purposes’; ‘British for Meeting on Wednesday 28 April the figure could have been fourteen; Nuclear Weapons in Germany’,DC 1965’. see TNA AIR 6/194, Annex D to AF/ Downloaded by [FCO - Open Source Team] at 00:49 23 February 2012 Humphreys, Head of DS 9, 27 September s200/10, 15 October 1976, ‘Air Force 1968; J D Thirlwell, A/D of Ops (B&R) 51 TNA AIR 2/18209, ‘Nuclear Weapons Board Standing Committee RAF Policy (RAF) to D Air Plans, ‘WE177A – Weapon for the RAF’, Chief of the Air Staff to and Programmes (Note by DUS (Air)’ Requirement’, 21 November 1967; TNA Secretary of State, 24 January 1969. states that by October 1976 the RAF had DEFE 19/125, ‘Production of weapons Other sources in TNA DEFE files state committed forty-eight Vulcans, twelve and fissile tema rial 1964 Jun 01 – 1969 450 kilotons. The 420 kiloton yield UK-based Buccaneers, twenty-four RAF March 31’. See also papers in TNA AIR figure appears in TNA CAB 134/4431, Germany-based Buccaneers and sixty 2/18209 and TNA AIR 2/18210 and ‘Secretary of State for Defence to Jaguars, all equipped with British nuclear TNA AIR 20/12080, AIR 20/12198 and Cabinet Committee on Nuclear Policy, weapons. Papers in TNA AIR 8/2785 say AIR 20/12199 that state that the RAF Tactical Nuclear Weapons for the RAF’, that each aircraft was allotted one sortie ordered fifty-six plus eight spares. There Annex, 11 February 1972. with a few weapons spare. is also the question of conversion of WE177As to WE177Cs. See TNA DEFE 52 TNA CAB 134/4431, ‘Tactical Nuclear 56 The scheduled in-service date was 19/191, ‘Minutes of Warhead Safety Co- Weapons for the RAF, NP (72)1’, 11 planned for June. TNA CAB 134/2241, ordinating Committee’, 20 January 1975, February 1972. ‘Nuclear Requirements for Defence which noted that ‘a certain number of Committee, aftDr British Programme of ET.317 (i.e. Polaris) warheads broken 53 TNA AIR 2/18210, ‘RAF Germany Underground Nuclear Tests 1965/66, down for re-use of the secondaries in KH Buccaneer Strike Capability’, JG Note by the UK Atomic Energy 793 (Chevaline) would be subjected to Matthews, DD Ops (S) (RAF) to DD Authority’, AWRE, 9 December 1964. detailed examination; the same would Air Plans, 15 October 1970. See also

RUSI 156_5 TEXT.indd 71 17/10/2011 07:15:41 British Nuclear Weapon Stockpiles, 1953–78

57 The original plan was for a force of four 59 This is based on sixteen missiles with DEFE 13/700, ‘The UK Polaris Re-Entry submarines and a ‘total of about 200 three warheads deployed on each System Surveillance Programme’, William warheads’. TNA FO 371/184413, ‘Atlantic missile times four outloads for four Cook, DCSA (P) to Secretary of State, 1 nuclear force 1965’, WUN 1192/295/G, SSBNs. December 1966. ‘The Provision of British Warheads for the Atlantic Nuclear Force’, draft paper 60 TNA AVIA 65/1845, ‘Polaris Assembly 62 We also see that Chevaline warhead by the Ministry of Defence for the DOPC Programme Delivery to R.N.A.D. of production requirements in the late Sub-committee on the ANF, July 1965; R Lifed Components’, A H Porter to 1970s meant that ET317 warheads had J Andrew, MoD to E J W Barnes, Foreign E G Richardson, DAS, 15 October to be withdrawn in order to recover Office, 13 July 1965. 1964. These were to be completed the fissile tema riel. In 1976, sixty ET317 by September 1969. The production warheads were taken out of service, 58 The apparent intention appears to rate was planned at ninety-six ET317 thereby reducing the navy to a three- have been to deliver warheads to warheads per year. TNA AVIA 65/1845, ‘S boat force. See TNA 19/208, ‘Minutes of RNAD Coulport as follows: fifty-four in Chard, DAWP & P to DGAW’, 16 October KH.793 Project Management Executive’, October 1967, fifty-four in April 1968, 1964. 4 July 1974. forty-eight in October 1968 and forty- eight in April 1969. See AVIA 65/1845, 61 Unlike the surveillance rounds for Red 63 Victor Macklen, DCA (PN), MoD, ‘Polaris Assembly Programme Delivery Beard, Red Snow and the WE177 where ‘about 400 warheads’, TNA DEFE to R.N.A.D. of Lifed Components’, A fissile materiel was replaced by non- 19/240, ‘Record of a Meeting with Dr H Porter to E G Richardson, DAS, 15 radioactive materiel, two live warheads Frank Press, Presidential Adviser on October 1964. The rationale for fifty-four were specifically ordered for this role Science and Technology’, 16 February warheads was because two missiles for the ET317 warhead surveillance 1978. (three warheads x eighteen missiles for programme without affecting thevy na ’s fifty-four) might fail final inspection prior operational strength. One weapon 64 The 462 figure is based on there being to loading on the submarine at Coulport. would be dismantled sufficiently to allow forty-three WE177A for RN use; fifty- AVIA 65/1845, S.Chard, DAWP & P to some of the UK warhead non-nuclear nine WE177A for RAF use; fifty-three DGAW, 16 October 1964. The warhead components to be destructively tested. WE177Bs for the RAF; 125 WE177Cs for was carried in the Mk II Mod 0 Re-Entry Weapons would be subsequently rebuilt the RAF and 191 ET317 warheads for System – see TNA DEFE 69/472, ‘Re- and returned to the navy; see TNA Polaris. Entry System Progress Meeting’, 18 June 1964. Downloaded by [FCO - Open Source Team] at 00:49 23 February 2012

RUSI 156_5 TEXT.indd 72 17/10/2011 07:15:43